Player Profile

Naby Keita was described as the 'complete midfielder' by Jurgan Klopp when he arrived in Liverpool in July 2018. Klopp was so keen on the player that the deal had been agreed a year beforehand, when the Reds had agreed that they would trigger his £48 million release clause at RB Leipzig. He spent two seasons with the German club, helping them qualify for a first ever Champions League in 2017.

Born in 1995, Keita grew up in Guinea and joined his local side Horoya at the age of nine. After unsuccessful trials with Le Mans and Lorient, he was offered a chance by French Ligue 2 side Istres, signing for them in 2012. Making his debut as an eighteen year old in November 2013, he went on to score eleven goals in 23 appearances, but couldn't save his club from relegation to the third tier.

Keita moved to RB Salzburg of the Austrian Bundesliga, winning the league and cup double in his first season and then being named footballer of the year in Austria for 2015-16. This led to him being moved sister club RB Leipzig, scoring seven goals for them in his debut season, which was the club's first ever in the top flight and ended in Champions League qualification. After the deal to join Liverpool was agreed he remained in Leipzig for a year, helping them to a sixth place finish. His first appearance in a Liverpool shirt was against Chester in a friendly on 7th July 2018.